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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Cat overgrooming

5 replies

Snoopfroggyfrogg · 31/12/2024 23:29

Hi all! Anyone got any experience of overgrooming? Started recently, long haired boy, neutered, about 3.5 years or so (adopted so not exact).

He's wormed, de flea-ed and had a vet check a couple of months ago which was fine. He's a bit nervous but cuddly and generally a happy chap. Lives with one other and they get on well.

He has a very few round scabs on his body, about 5mm across, and has some slightly thinner patches of fur. He's brought up 3 HUGE hairballs recently.

No scratching, just the grooming. Eating well and drinking. Licking seems to be all over but plenty of focus on nethers so I wondered about UTI type infection or worms if not MH related. Just wondering whether a vet's visit is needed.

He has outdoor access, we play with him and he gets lots of both attention and space

No major changes to household lately.

Thanks!

OP posts:
pinneddownbytabbies · 31/12/2024 23:31

Yes, I'd get advice from a vet. There may be some underlying skin condition.

MigGril · 31/12/2024 23:38

Yes definitely a worth a vet visit to get him checked out.

My last cat would over groom a lot, she had no hair on the inside of her back legs and part of her stomach, the skin was perfect she just removed the hair. It turned out to be an allergy to house dust mites, hard to completely avoid especially with pets. But she had special bedding and medication that did help.

DoAWheelie · 31/12/2024 23:43

Get them checked out just in case, but mine does this as a stress response, triggers so far include a temporary foster cat she didn't like, moving house, my partner dying, her kitty brother dying, and me going away for 3 nights.

She tends to stop a couple of weeks after the main stress event

Snoopfroggyfrogg · 01/01/2025 11:03

Thank you all and happy new year! I've just spoken to the vet nurse on the phone who thinks it may be nerves from our trip a couple of weeks ago and to keep an eye on him. I will order some anti hairball food as I don't want him to choke on the enormo lumps he's been bringing up

OP posts:
biscuitsandbooks · 01/01/2025 11:38

I would be inclined to say nerves or stress too - one of mine overgrooms massively but he's healthy as anything, just ridiculously anxious!

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